The Iraq Thread

[OxPecker 0]

A ghood question is: how likely will it be that Saddam gets caught or killed?

He has fortified bunkers, doubles, and all sorts of paranoid schemes in place to protect himself.

Does anyone give the coalition much chance of getting him, or might he rear his ugly head once the dust has settled.

The other question is assuming Saddma is taken out (or at the very least driven into exile/hiding) who is the most likely to be the new leader of Iraq, and how will he be elected/put in place?

[Tex -USMC- 0]

Just saw some videos of tactical aircraft taking off from bases in Qatar and Kuwait on BBC

[Schoeler 0]

Warin, I agree with you. I just lost my brother to acute myelocytic leukemia. He was only 28 and had just gotten married, bought his first home and started a career. He felt sick on a Friday afternoon after coming home from work, and his wife, a medical student knew something was seriously wrong after taking his vital signs. They went to the emergency room Friday night and he was admitted immediately. By Saturday morning the diagnosis was Leukemia. He died from heart failure Sunday night, in less then 48 hours he had gone from being a healthy, productive young man to a memory.

I don't wish that kind of pain or shock on to anyone, Iraqi, British or American. I know what those families are going to go through losing sons, brothers and husbands suddenly and shockingly.

I do think, that in the long run, if this war rids the world of an evil dictator with the blood of thousands on his hands, and saves more lives in the end, then it is justified. I only hope it is over quickly, efficiently and with a minimum of casualties on both sides.

[Warin 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Schoeler @ Mar. 20 2003,05:44)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Warin, I agree with you.  I just lost my brother to acute myelocytic leukemia.  He was only 28 and had just gotten married, bought his first home and started a career.  He felt sick on a Friday afternoon after coming home from work, and his wife, a medical student knew something was seriously wrong after taking his vital signs.  They went to the emergency room Friday night and he was admitted immediately.  By Saturday morning the diagnosis was Leukemia.  He died from heart failure Sunday night, in less then 48 hours he had gone from being a healthy, productive young man to a memory.

I don't wish that kind of pain or shock on to anyone, Iraqi, British or American.  I know what those families are going to go through losing sons, brothers and husbands suddenly and shockingly.

I do think, that in the long run, if this war rids the world of an evil dictator with the blood of thousands on his hands, and saves more lives in the end, then it is justified.  I only hope it is over quickly, efficiently and with a minimum of casualties on both sides.<span id='postcolor'>

I totally agree with you that Saddam has to go. I just dont believe this is the best way...or the only way.

Only time will tell, and I do pray that this wont be a bloodbath, but I have this nagging and terrible feeling that it is going to be far worse than anyone wants to believe.

[Schoeler 0]

Al Jazeera is saying Saddam will address the Iraqi nation in a little while. I guess he wasn't the target, or he got really lucky.

[Akira 0]

BBC just said the targets were 5 senoir members of the Iraqi regime, and the reason why the attacks were launched at that time.

[Warin 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Schoeler @ Mar. 20 2003,05:48)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Al Jazeera is saying Saddam will address the Iraqi nation in a little while.   I guess he wasn't the target, or he got really lucky.<span id='postcolor'>

Or one of his doubles is having a REALLY bad morning

[Schoeler 0]

OK, CBS news is getting unconfirmed reports that Saddam, his two sons and 16 senior Baath Party members were sleeping in the bunker when it was hit. The Tomahawks shattered the outer armor and then the 2000lb bunker busters finished it up for the kill. No word if this report is accurate or of any casualties yet.

[Renagade 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Tex [uSMC] @ Mar. 20 2003,05:39)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Just saw some videos of tactical aircraft taking off from bases in Qatar and Kuwait on BBC<span id='postcolor'>

yeah but theres always a little voice thats asking if those are libary pictures or have been tampered,say a little gunfire noise here and there.

fear the voices

[Schoeler 0]

The 3rd Infantry Division may be moving out within the hour. Also, unconfirmed reports that 2 Iraqi regular Army divisions on the Kuwaiti border are negotiating a surrender. Republican Guard units in Baghdad are still digging in for a fight.

[Garritos 0]

CBS was saying earlyer that they had confirmation on the fact that sadam was the target. As Schoeler stated the tomahawks took out the outer armor and one F-117 droped two 2000pounders on the target. another F-117 followed up with two more in the same hole for maximum penetration.

Also, a massive assault has begun in afghanistan. Some are specualting that they are going after Usama. They have confirmed that the aim is "senior" al-queda leaders and the 82nd airborne is not permitting journalists to broadcast any info as of right now.

Wouldnt this be a great night if we could have taken out public enemy #1 and #2 in the same night!!!!

My thoughts are with the brave men and women in the feild fighting for Freedom

[Schoeler 0]

Let's hope they are buying each other drinks in hell!

On a more serious note, I hope they got Saddam and maybe the war will end before it begins.

[Renagade 0]

i wonder how they would handle surrendering soldier because it would present a tricky security risk and saddams meant ot be going on his tv in a few moments.

[Col. Kurtz 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Schoeler @ Mar. 20 2003,13:55)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">unconfirmed reports that Saddam, his two sons and 16 senior Baath Party members were sleeping in the bunker when it was hit.<span id='postcolor'>

It would be pretty stupid of them all to go into a bunker together. If they would smart, they would spread out in my opinion.

[red oct 2]

whoa! really? well, it would be wonderful to have two birds taken care of w/ one stone but i really doubt osama would be dumb enough to try and re-enter afhganistan.

[Jimboh 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">saddams meant ot be going on his tv in a few moments.<span id='postcolor'>

yeah man, they promised to show him in 25 mins, 30 minutes ago...thet cheating bastard...

[Renagade 0]

they were showing some tracer fire a moment ago saying it was from the earlier attack but all they should at the time that attack happened was baghdad with gunfire in the background.

[Tanelorn 0]

My god 315 pages, this really is the mother of all threads!!!

Hey has anyone else heard about Baghdad radio going pirate?

I think this is awesome how the US is letting reporters broadcast what they are seeing coming off the carriers, missiles launched, etc. You wanna talk about PsyOps? How about hearing that thousands of planes and cruise missiles are coming your way, and knowing that it's true...

[Schoeler 0]

That does seem REALLY, REALLY dumb. But the U.S. did use over 40 Tomahawks on this target which means it must have been important, so whoever got hit had to be worth it. I wouldn't put it past Saddam to be cocky enough to believe his bunkers are impenetrable. He's still fighting the last war, remember, the one where he promised to give us, "the mother of all battles." LOL, it was more like the mother of all egotistical overstatements.

[Garritos 0]

Iraqi TV is now off-line, only color bars now present

[Schoeler 0]

the U.S. is using EC-130E aircraft to control the airwaves. They are broadcasting a message in Arabic saying, "This is the moment you have all been waiting for" over and over again.

[Tanelorn 0]

Ahh so it's not Radio Baghdad, it's US Electronic Warfare...

I read that the US will be jamming GPS systems as well, so only Allied GPS systems will work.

[FSPilot 0]

Ira

edit - stupid tab button

Iraqi TV is back online. They're showing propoganda and supposedly Saddam will address the nation in a minute or so.

[Schoeler 0]

They should broadcast reality TV in Arabic. Get the Republican Guard so wrapped up with watching "The Bachelor" and old episodes of "Survivor" that they forget to fight. I can just see it now, "Tariq, aren't you going to man your machine gun emplacement?" "Yes Raj, but I have to find out who gets eliminated first!" LOL

We might as well start the indoctrination process now.

[FSPilot 0]

AHHH!!!  Did anyone see Saddam's speech?

Just with a different hat!